Windows Vista has little impact on PC sales

Research firm Gartner estimates PC sales will increase 10.5 percent this year, but states that Windows Vista will have only a very small impact on this.

Gartner Inc. predicted worldwide PC shipments rising to 255.7 million units in 2007. But because prices are falling this will mean only a 4.6 percent rise in revenues to 213.7 billion dollars, the survey found.

"We expect the market environment to be much the same over the near term as it has been recently," said George Shiffler, research director for Gartner's Dataquest service.

"Emerging markets and mobile PCs will continue to afford PC vendors their best opportunities for growth," he said.

"However, falling average selling prices, slowing replacement activity and further declines in mature market desk-based PC shipments will keep PC vendors under pressure to rationalize their operations or exit the market."

Gartner analysts said PC shipments will enjoy, at best, a limited boost from the release of Microsoft's new operating system, Vista, launched in January for all customers.